Ground Cover Experiments

Before I get too far into my ECW project I want to decide how I'll do the basing. Undoubtedly this is a period I'll dabble in  over many years and I want to get the bases consistent whenever I do dip in.  The base color you use under the grasses makes a huge difference.

My go-to has been for nearly everything the VGC- Earth (second from right), however, I really want a lush, deep spring/summery green. Nothing dried out, but deep greens. I've been paying close attention to grass in my environs and know what I want to get, but have struggled to find matching products. I really need to get to the Scenic Express booth again to really look at the stuff with my own eyes. I also need tufts that are close in color to the grass.

These rows are a dark static grass along the top, a mix of fine turf and yellow flowers for the middle and Citadel grass along the bottom. I have two favorites so far (the two at left), but still think I need a deeper green grass. At far left is the Polly-S - Drab Brown - that's #1, followed by its neighbor to the right with a more traditional dark olive - Citadel's Catachan Green. I will get craft paint equivalent for the winning color. Never use your fancy modeling paints for this kind of thing.

 

These right side of this craft stick are my least favorite for this. Second from Right, is my most typical build with that medium earth as a base. It's fine, but not lush enough for this project. I want healthy firm green throughout here. I am also going to eschew the patchy look. On any lawn or field the bare spots are the exception, not the tufts popping out of bare earth. I have no intention of using brown anywhere on these.

Finally I wanted to see what the Leaf Litter would look like as ground cover. I put it over my lead color, the paler of the two olive greens seen here.  (I used that litter to make the ECW hedges here.) Way too big for 15/18mm (maybe for making row crops?), but might have utility in 25/28s.

Before I go whole hog, I will try this out on a proper base just to make sure it really works, but for now I think I need to tinker more.

Thanks for looking, questions, comments and followers welcome and encouraged.